From 1963 to 1965, Dourif attended Aiken Preparatory School in Aiken, SC, where he pursued his interests in art and acting. Although he briefly considered becoming a professional artist, he finally settled on acting as a profession, inspired by his mother's participation as an actress in community theater. His high-strung style also served him well in a number of horror films, notably as the voice of the evil doll Chucky in Child's Play (1988) and its sequels.

Credits include: The Thing, Clear and Present Danger, The Right Stuff, Regarding Henry and HouseSitter

Credits include: Predator, Commando, Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, Mandy and The Limey

Credits include: The Graduate, The Blue Lagoon, The Parallax View, Blind Date and Two for the Road

Credits include: Lionheart, Carnosaur, Vixen!, Sledge Hammer! and Trouble Man

Credits include: Tank, The Velvet Vampire, Movers & Shakers, Sergeant Matlovich vs. the U.S. Air Force and Man Against the Mob: The Chinatown Murders

Credits include: True Grit, Escape to Witch Mountain, T-Men, The Stone Killer and Invitation to a Gunfighter

Credits include: School Daze, Take a Giant Step, Sergeant Matlovich vs. the U.S. Air Force, 10,000 Black Men Named George and King Lear

Credits include: Strike Force, Sergeant Matlovich vs. the U.S. Air Force and Young Pioneers' Christmas

Credits include: Pray for the Wildcats, Sergeant Matlovich vs. the U.S. Air Force, The Leeches, This'll Kill You and Alligator King

Credits include: Mass Appeal, Sergeant Matlovich vs. the U.S. Air Force, Diary of a Perfect Murder and If Things Were Different